Permanent Exhibits Redesign

The Baranov Museum has been a touchstone on Kodiak's waterfront since 1808. It is a place of history and for history, including that of you and your family. Help ensure Kodiak's history and show your connection to that legacy through a gift to the capital campaign for the permanent exhibit redesign and facility upgrade project.

The Baranov Museum has celebrated tremendous achievements throughout it’s own history. We’ve won the highest honors both statewide and nationally for the way we serve our community. Our vision for educational programming and historic preservation have been visionary. Now, we’re taking on bringing our exhibits to that same exemplary level.

Due to the constraints of our existing exhibit cases, our displays have not kept pace. Baranov Museum exhibits need to be updated and expanded to address our community’s diversity and to incorporate technology and interactive opportunities. The Museum’s collection needs greater accessibility so those who visit the Museum can see and enjoy these amazing artifacts.

Click on the image below to scroll through the designs:

Grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services and City of Kodiak were secured to solicit community input and to work with museum design experts to develop plans for the new permanent exhibits. There will be fresh photograph, object, and narrative displays from our collections on display. Creating environments using props and period furniture, exhibits will offer views into significant periods of Kodiak’s history. Engaging digital films and interactive experiences will help visitors find meaningful relationships between present-day issues and historic events. Facility upgrades, including new flooring, additional electrical outlets, and improved plumbing are needed to create a pleasant atmosphere and assure collection safety.

You’ll see three big changes:

-Increased Sustainability

We’re protecting the investment that our community has made in this museum. This funding allows us to face future challenges and to preserve and conserve our rare and unique collection for generations to come.

-New Exhibits and More Stories

We’re renovating the exhibits to create more gallery space, increase our capacity for guests and storytelling, and improve the space available for educational programs. These updates will help the museum stay better connected and share in the beautification of Kodiak’s downtown neighborhood.

-We’ve Already Begun!

We’re jump-starting the changes. You’ve probably already seen a few new things – a From Storehouse to Story House banner on the Center Street side of the building, a new exhibit featuring the project inside our sunporch and new exhibits in the second gallery space, project donor names displayed colorfully on our windows and brightening the museum entrance. The Kodiak Daily Mirror and KMXT have been covering updates as we progress towards our community campaign goal of $85,000. The staff has a mount making workshop with exhibit designers from Exhibit AK next month, and many new events and programs are centered around sharing the new exhibit designs and community fundraising campaign.

This Project Matters.

This project matters because it’s about showing our kids that every story matters and that we have a place for their bright future at the Baranov. It matters because we are a growing and vibrant community whose history serves the world as an international crossroads, and we’re proud of that history. The Baranov Museum is a natural gathering place and our community space helps to develop the culture of our community. We help the people in our community connect to one another and we love creating conversation.We believe in being inclusive and making history accessible. We believe that our community stories are meant to be experienced, not just seen. We are making our museum into a place brimming with activity and new ideas. This campaign is making it possible for us to be bolder than ever before.

Connect With Us

Hours & Admission

Summer: 10-4pm Mon - Sat.

Winter: 10-3pm Tues - Sat.
Special Opening on request

Admission: $5.00 for adults,
children 12 & under are FREE

About our Museum

The Baranov Museum is a local history museum in the oldest building in Alaska, a National Historical Landmark in Kodiak, Alaska, known as the Russian American Magazin or Erskine House. Our exhibits interpret Kodiak's Russian era (1741-1867), early American era (1867-1912) and modern era (1912-present). The Baranov Museum is operated in partnership between the Kodiak Historical Society, a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, and the City of Kodiak.